Features
One of the things I briefly noted (and wish I had expanded upon) in my review of Pixar’s “Up” (releasing tomorrow) was how “pitch-perfect” child actor Jordan Nagai is as the voice of Russell, a Wilderness Explorer sidekick of sorts to Ed Asner’s disgruntled Carl Fredricksen. Thankfully the young chap is getting a bit of […]
Entries from May 2009
‘Up”s lovable sidekick protagonist gets some ink
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:53 am · May 28th, 2009
Filed in: Daily
5/28 Web Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:34 am · May 28th, 2009
• Kim Voynar goes deep on a male-dominated film world. [Movie City News] • Brooks Barnes on an anti-smoking Hollywood effort. “Thank God we invented the…whatever device.” [The Carpetbagger] • Nine straight critical and financial successes. How does Pixar do it? [CNN] • Gina McIntyre talks to horror helmer Sam Raimi. [Los Angeles Times] • […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Chéri’ website launched
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:50 pm · May 27th, 2009
As you know, despite a mixed critical reception over here in the UK, I was quite taken with Stephen Frears’ “Chéri,” a tarter-than-expected Belle Epoque romance that showcases the director’s best work in nine years, and Michelle Pfeiffer’s best work in … well, longer than that. I’m not sure how the film, a rather subtle […]
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‘Prophet’ tops indieWIRE poll
Posted by Guy Lodge · 5:53 pm · May 27th, 2009
In case you didn’t get the message while the Cannes Film Festival was running, it’s clear that Jacques Audiard’s Grand Prix champ “A Prophet” is a title we’re going to be hearing a lot this year. True to its preceived status as the critical favorite, the gritty French prison drama has been voted the fest’s […]
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‘Rescue Me’ is on fire this season
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 5:44 pm · May 27th, 2009
Anyone watching this? Best season yet. Leary’s monologue at the end of this clip (from last night’s episode) is an Emmy clip if I ever saw one:
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Werner Herzog’s ‘Bad Lieutenant’ trailer
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 5:42 pm · May 27th, 2009
Wow. Just…wow.
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PAGE TO SCREEN: “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:11 pm · May 27th, 2009
Of all the literary adaptations reaching our screens this year, none is as seemingly impossible – and yet, simultaneously, rife with possibilities – as Spike Jonze’s long-awaited realization of “Where the Wild Things Are.” A work that occupies multiple positions within the popular culture pantheon – grade-school standard, highbrow literary classic, cult hipster item, fine-arts […]
Filed in: Page to Screen
POLL: the most influential films of all time, round two
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 1:28 pm · May 27th, 2009
We’ve made it to the second round in our mammoth series polling In Contention readers for a list of the most influential films of all time. “Annie Hall,” “Psycho” and “The Wizard of Oz” squeezed past the competition to become our final trio to move on to the next stage. We’re getting very close now, […]
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Get your votes in!
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:59 am · May 27th, 2009
We’ll be closing down the latest influential films poll in a couple of hours, and seeing as we’re in a neck-and-neck race for the final slot, every vote counts. Later this afternoon we’ll move into the second round.
Filed in: Daily
Never occurred to me
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:25 am · May 27th, 2009
Our own John Foote made an interesting point in our Pixar list from yesterday. Concerning the final shot of “Monsters, Inc.” (which brings your humble teddy bear servant to a near tear every time), Foote writes that it is a “lovely Chaplin homage…when the big monster (Sully) opens the door to Boo’s room and smiles […]
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SHORT TAKE: “Drag Me to Hell” (***)
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:56 am · May 27th, 2009
It only occurred to me this week that I have yet to write about Sam Raimi’s “Drag Me to Hell,” which I saw weeks ago and never got around to reviewing in a timely fashion. I’ve had the artwork for whatever piece I was to conjur sitting here on my desktop, waiting for me to, […]
Filed in: Reviews
As Ganis prepares to exit, AMPAS searches for a new president
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:12 am · May 27th, 2009
As you know, Sid Ganis will close out his fourth-straight one-year stint as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in a matter of months (he’ll be packing up his stuff in August). “If history is any guide,” Michael Cieply writes in this Carpetbagger item, “some deeply internal glad-handing and politicking will […]
Filed in: Daily
5/27 Web Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:59 am · May 27th, 2009
• Todd Leopold talks to the guys behind “Anvil!: The Story of Anvil.” [CNN] • The complete list of tired movie cliches. [Empire] • Mark Harris profiles Woody Allen and Larry David. [New York Magazine] • Ethan Coen takes to the stage with “Offices,” a cycle of three short plays in the Big Apple. [The […]
Filed in: Daily
Have you seen this?
Posted by Guy Lodge · 2:34 am · May 27th, 2009
In case it doesn’t get said often enough, the internet is a weird thing. One week ago, I had never heard of “Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus,” which was recently released straight to DVD. (A technicality that sadly bars it from Oscar consideration.) Since then, however, I’ve seen references to this marvel pop up on […]
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THE LISTS: Ranking 14 years of Pixar
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:34 pm · May 26th, 2009
This weekend, Pixar Animation Studios will be releasing its 10th feature film, “Up.” For many, with the film having successfully opened this year’s Cannes International Film Festival, the occasion has marked another milestone in the studio’s continued maturation. In my recent review of the film, I wrote, “Watching Pixar Animation grow and develop as a […]
Filed in: The Lists
Kevin Smith on the “collapse” of ‘Zack and Miri’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:14 am · May 26th, 2009
This Vulture interview with Kevin Smith is two weeks old now — so, ancient by Internet standards — but because I only recently caught “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” and found it surprisingly endearing, perhaps the director’s best film yet, I figured I’d link to the piece. It features a typically candid Smith opening […]
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More on Rocco
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:25 am · May 26th, 2009
Almost three weeks ago we reported the sad death of director Marc Rocco. The news has finally made its way to the Associated Press, republished by Variety here. Nothing new to add other than an addendum at the end concerning a planned memorial for Rocco. For more info on that or to make a donation […]
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5/25 Web Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:07 am · May 26th, 2009
• Tom O’Neil chats up the actors of Broadways’ “God of Carnage.” [Gold Derby] • Noah Forrest gets wrapped up in the excitement of seeing “Drag Me to Hell” with an audience (a week or so after decrying the public movie-going experience). [Movie City News] • Indie filmmaker and noted script doctor John Sayles is […]
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